What to say in Portuguese when reminding someone not to forget something

Introduction

Reminding someone not to forget something is a common, practical skill in Brazilian Portuguese. This article teaches natural phrases, polite and casual forms, short dialogues, and usage notes so English-speaking learners can confidently remind friends, family, and colleagues without sounding rude or awkward.

Core verbs and phrases for reminders

Start by learning a few key verbs and set phrases used to remind someone not to forget. These are useful across formal and informal contexts.

Essential verbs

lembrar — to remember or to remind (context decides).
Use lembrar when you want to tell someone to keep something in memory or to bring something up later.

esquecer — to forget.
Use esquecer to talk about forgetting. To tell someone not to forget, combine with não: não esquecer.

avisar — to warn or notify.
Use avisar for giving a heads-up or notifying someone about something important so they don’t forget.

Common reminder phrases

Não esquecer — Do not forget.
This is a straightforward, neutral command. For politeness, add por favor or use a softer construction like não se esqueça.

Não se esquecer — Do not forget (reflexive and slightly softer).
This is common in instructions or when you want to sound less direct.

Não se esqueça — Do not forget (formal/polite imperative).
Use with people you do not know well or in workplace settings. For friends, informal alternatives work better.

Não esquece — Don’t forget (informal, imperative for friends or family).
Common in everyday speech among peers and younger people.

Polite vs. informal reminders

Choosing the right level of formality affects how your reminder will be received. Brazilian Portuguese offers clear choices depending on the relationship and situation.

Polite and formal forms

Não se esqueça, por favor — Please don’t forget.
Good for work, teachers, or older people.

Por favor, lembre-se de + item — Please remember to + item.
Literal and polite: Por favor, lembre-se de trazer os documentos amanhã.

Poderia me lembrar + de + infinitive — Could you remind me to + verb.
Use this when asking someone to help you remember: Poderia me lembrar de ligar para a Maria?

Informal and friendly forms

Não esquece, tá? — Don’t forget, okay?
Casual and commonly used with friends or family.

Não vai esquecer — You won’t forget, right?
This puts the reminder as a question and is less commanding: Você não vai esquecer do ingresso?

Me lembra — Remind me.
Short and direct: Me lembra às 7?

Reminders with specific items or actions

Combine the core phrases with concrete nouns or verbs to make clear reminders. Below are model sentences for everyday situations.

Reminding about objects

Não esqueça do guarda-chuva. — Don’t forget the umbrella.
Use this when reminding someone to bring a physical item.

Não se esqueça dos documentos. — Don’t forget the documents.
Plural nouns use dos/daos as needed: Não se esqueça das chaves.

Reminding about appointments and times

Não esqueça da consulta às 15h. — Don’t forget the appointment at 3pm.
For time-based reminders, include the time and, if needed, the place.

Lembre-se de chegar cedo. — Remember to arrive early.
Good for event reminders where punctuality matters: Lembre-se de chegar 15 minutos antes.

Reminding someone to do something

Não se esqueça de ligar para o João. — Don’t forget to call João.
Use de + infinitive to connect lembrar/esquecer to an action.

Não esquece de pagar a conta. — Don’t forget to pay the bill.
Informal and direct for everyday tasks.

Short dialogues: natural ways to remind

Short dialogues help you hear the rhythm and choose appropriate phrasing for different relationships.

Dialogue: friends

Amiga: Não esquece o bolo, ok?
Você: Tranquilo, vou levar. Me lembra se eu esquecer.

Usage note: Friends often use short imperatives and tags like ok or tá to soften commands.

Dialogue: coworker

Chefe: Por favor, não se esqueça de enviar o relatório até amanhã.
Você: Pode deixar, vou enviar hoje à noite.

Usage note: At the office, use polite forms and confirm you will complete the task to show responsibility.

Dialogue: family

Mãe: Não esquece de comprar leite, tá?
Filho: Já anotei. Me lembre se eu sair sem comprar.

Usage note: Family reminders are often playful or abbreviated; tone matters more than grammar here.

Tag questions and softeners to avoid sounding rude

Brazilian Portuguese uses tag questions and softening words to make reminders friendlier. These are essential for smooth social interactions.

Common softeners

tá? — right?/okay?
Placing tá? after a command makes it less harsh: Não esquece, tá?

por favor — please
Always useful to add por favor for politeness: Não se esqueça, por favor.

não é? / né? — isn’t it?/right?
These tags invite confirmation: Você não vai esquecer, né?

Phrases to invite cooperation

pode me ajudar a lembrar? — can you help me remember?
Good when you need someone else’s support: Pode me ajudar a lembrar de levar os ingressos?

pode me avisar? — can you let me know?
Use avisar when you want a notification: Pode me avisar quando chegar?

Using reminders in written communication

Written reminders—texts, emails, and notes—use concise language and often include time, place, and a polite tone. Below are templates for different contexts.

Text message to a friend

Não esquece do show hoje às 21h. Te espero lá!

Usage note: Texts are informal, so use não esquece and emojis if appropriate, but avoid ambiguity.

Email to a colleague

Olá Ana,
Por favor, não se esqueça de enviar o arquivo até amanhã às 10h.
Obrigada,
João

Usage note: Emails should be polite and include deadlines. Use não se esqueça and por favor for a professional tone.

Short reminder note

Bilhete: Não esquecer a apresentação às 9h.

Usage note: Notes are brief and factual. Use the infinitive or imperative form depending on how commanding you want the message to feel.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Beginners often mix verb forms or forget reflexive pronouns. These tips will help you sound natural and grammatically correct.

Forget the reflexive se

Incorrect: Não esqueça de trazer.
Better: Não se esqueça de trazer.
Explanation: For a polite imperative addressed formally, include se with esquecer to form não se esqueça. Informal forms like não esquece or não esqueça can omit se when context is clear.

Using lembrar vs. esquecer

Incorrect: Me esqueça de ligar. — wrong.
Correct: Me lembre de ligar ou Não se esqueça de ligar.
Explanation: Use lembrar when asking someone to remind you. Esquecer is about forgetting, so you rarely tell someone Me esqueça.

Wrong preposition after lembrar

Incorrect: Lembre de mim. — awkward.
Correct: Lembre-se de mim only when reflexive makes sense, or — Me lembre de + infinitive for requests: Me lembre de comprar pão.

Advanced expressions and variations

As you progress, you’ll notice idiomatic ways to remind that sound more native and colorful.

Idomatic reminders

fica lembrado — consider it noted or keep in mind.
Example: Fica lembrado que a reunião mudou para sexta.

não perde — don’t miss out or don’t forget (colloquial).
Example: Não perde o próximo episódio hoje à noite.

Regional and tone variations

Brazil is diverse. In some regions people might say Não dá pra esquecer? or Não vai esquecer, né? with a different intonation. These subtle shifts change tone from teasing to serious.

Usage note: Mirror local speech patterns when you feel comfortable; listening to native speakers helps you adopt appropriate intonation.

Pronunciation tips

Good pronunciation makes your reminders clear and friendly. Focus on a few recurring sounds and rhythm patterns.

The r at the end of infinitives like lembrar and esquecer is often softened in Brazilian Portuguese to a light guttural or even almost silent sound depending on region. Practice: lembrar — lem-BRAR (soft r).

Stress commonly falls on the second-to-last syllable for verbs like lembrar and avisar: lem-BRAR, a-VI-sar. Use natural cadence to avoid sounding like a word list.

Useful vocabulary list

Below are concise vocabulary items you will use in reminders. First mention of each is bolded, subsequent uses appear in emphasis form throughout the article.

lembre-se — remember (reflexive imperative).
esqueça — forget (imperative).
não — no/not.
por favor — please.
me — me/for me.
avisar — to notify.
lembrar — to remind/remember.

Practice by listening and shadowing

The best way to internalize reminder phrases is to listen to native speakers and repeat after them. Try shadowing short clips from Brazilian TV shows, podcasts, or YouTube channels that use everyday conversation.

Start with simple reminders and imitate tone, speed, and intonation. Then try producing the phrases in real-life situations with friends or language partners.

Conclusion

Reminding someone not to forget something in Brazilian Portuguese is about choosing the right verbs, tone, and politeness level. Master key verbs like lembrar, esquecer, and avisar, practice common phrases such as não se esqueça and não esquece, and use tags like tá? and por favor to soften your reminders. With listening, shadowing, and real conversations, you will sound natural and confident.